


How to greet someone

by bellfort3



Series: touch starved!tommy [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Sleepy Bois Inc, Video Blogging RPF, sbi - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Do Not Ship Them, Family Dynamics, Fluff, Niki is mentioned, No romantic relationship, Other, Protective Wilbur Soot, Tommyinnit needs a hug, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade and TommyInnit are Siblings, ask for hugs, brighton meet up, fundy is mentioned, mcyt - Freeform, meet up, philza minecraft, platonic, plus tubbo, sbi, sleepy boic inc, techno comes to england, techno is jetlagged, they are brothers your honor, tommyinnit is touched starved, touchstarved!tommy, touchstarved!tommyinnit, tubbo and tommy are best friends, tubbo wants to hug tommy, wilbur soot and tommyinnit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 02:40:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29003115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellfort3/pseuds/bellfort3
Summary: Before anyone assumes anything, Tommy was not abused. His parents never hit him, or taken the opposite approach and refused to touch him. Tommy was a perfectly loved child.It was just that growing up, he'd never platonically hugged his friends. He'd hug his parents and his extended family, but he never greeted his school friends with a hug. It just wasn't something he did.But it seems to be something that the Sleepy Bois and Tubbo did.Or, Tommy meets up with Tubbo, Wilbur, Phil, and Techno and has a hard time navigating their friendly touches.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), They are friends - Relationship, family dyanmics - Relationship, platonic - Relationship, they are Family - Relationship, they are brothers - Relationship
Series: touch starved!tommy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2127714
Comments: 61
Kudos: 885
Collections: Completed stories I've read





	How to greet someone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [emo_and_confused](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emo_and_confused/gifts).



> "I thought I told you not to come back to Brighton" and my other three series: *glares*
> 
> Me: *sweats nervously and avoids eye contact* Here! Take some touch starved!tommy
> 
> Ok, but for real, HUGE shoutout to emo_and_confused for not only brainstorming this AU with me but for helping me through the tremendous writer's block I experienced while writing it. I hope I did it justice with this fic and I plan to write more one-shots in this universe :)

**1\. Tubbo**

_ It’s happening. Oh my god, it’s really happening.  _

Tubbo’s hand shook as he brought his phone back up to his face and reread Tommy’s message for perhaps the tenth time in the last minute. 

**TommyInnit:** _ be there in 5!! _

After three long years,  _ three long years,  _ of Discord calls, FaceTime calls, and texting, Tubbo and Tommy were finally meeting up in person. It felt surreal, knowing that in less than five minutes  _ (five minutes!!)  _ TommyInnit would be standing in front of him, close enough to feel, close enough to  _ touch.  _ No longer would there be a screen separating them. After today, they would officially no longer be just ‘internet friends.’

Tubbo barreled down the stairs, nearly tripling multiple times in his haste to get to the ground floor. His parents were waiting in the kitchen, his number preparing lunch and his dad nursing his third cup of coffee even though it was nearly one in the afternoon. Both Lani and Teagan were away at friend’s houses for the day. 

“Mum! Dad! Tommy’s almost here!” Tubbo announced as he slid past the kitchen entrance on socked feet. He skidded to an ungraceful stop in the entryway. Just as he turned to peer out the glass pane of the front door, Tubbo’s phone buzzed. 

**TommyInnit:** _ IM HERE BITCHBOY _

In the next second, the front door was thrown open and Tubbo was sprinting off his patio and across his lawn. At the end of his driveway, he could see a tall, blond boy emerging from a white Toyota. The boy looked apprehensive, yet excited when he glanced up and met Tubbo’s eyes. 

“ _ Tommy!” _ Tubbo exclaimed, lunging forward and wrapping his arms around the blond. He buried his head into Tommy’s neck, squeezing him tight enough to make sure that he was real and solid within his hold. It was comforting to be able to hear Tommy’s heartbeat, to feel every breath he took. 

They stood there like that for a few seconds until Tubbo realized just how tense Tommy was in his arms and the fact that he had yet to hug him back. 

“...Tommy?” Tubbo took a small step back, holding Tommy at arm’s length. 

Tommy wouldn’t meet his eyes as he took another step back in the opposite direction of Tubbo, forcing the brunette to let go of him. Tubbo tried and failed to conceal the hurt that crossed over his face. 

“Let’s…,” Tommy cleared his throat forcefully, hiding his red face behind his hand. “It’s great to finally meet you in real life, Tubbo.” He smiled shyly. 

Tubbo faltered for a moment before returning the smile. He clasped his hands behind his back, suppressing the urge to reach out and touch Tommy again. Based on the way he had reacted to the hug, Tubbo didn’t think their relationship was quite there yet. Sure, it stung, when you wanted nothing more than to embrace his friend that he hadn’t even been sure was  _ real _ for the past three years, but he understood. It was a sudden change, going from voice calls to in real life greetings. Maybe Tommy was overwhelmed. Maybe physical affection was too much right now. 

“I know!” Tubbo gushed. “It feels quite surreal!”

Tommy’s smile widened, lighting up his face. 

_ God,  _ Tubbo thought as he turned and directed Tommy towards his house.  _ Discord really doesn’t do that smile any justice.  _

**2\. Wilbur**

If asked about his meet up with Tommy, Wilbur would deny everything. The decision to allow Tommy to tag along had been made at the last minute, after days of pleading and begging. At that point, Wilbur was mostly saying yes to appease him and to get him to shut up, but standing at the pier now, watching and waiting for a certain blond and lanky teen to round the corner, he found that this was what he was most excited for. After all, he’d already met up with everyone else on multiple different occasions; he’d never met up with Tommy before. 

Wilbur tapped his fingers against his thigh, scanning the beach for perhaps the tenth time since he’d sat down. It wasn’t that he was nervous, per se, he was just... _ apprehensive.  _ He got this way before every in-real-life meet up with anyone. He constantly worried that their connection wouldn’t transfer in person, that it would be forced and awkward. And with Tommy, he was even more worried. The kid was a literal child! It was one thing to goof off and be a dick with Wilbur when there was a screen between them and an audience watching them, but another entirely when they were face to face with no one listening but themselves. 

That’s why Wilbur had arranged to pick up Tommy by himself before joining the rest of the group. He wanted to get his own feel for things. 

The hair on the back of Wilbur’s neck suddenly stood on end. He tensed, assessing the feeling of having eyes burn holes in the back of his head before turning around. It didn’t take long to spot the culprit, as he stood standing and staring on the other side of the boardwalk. 

Wilbur stood from his seat on the bench, an easy and genuine smile gracing his face. He raised a hand in greeting. “Oi, Tommy!”

If Tommy’s eyes could widen any further, they did just then. The teen met Wilbur’s gaze with a look of disbelief before glancing both ways and crossing the street. He jogged awkwardly, looking like he was holding back from a sprint as he hopped back up onto the boardwalk on the other side of the road. He was still looking up at Wilbur in awe when they finally stood before each other. 

Wilbur couldn’t help the giddy laugh that escaped him. Tommy looked so antsy that it was endearing. Wilbur would’ve thought he would have been meeting the fucking Queen and not some 23-year-old loser who played Minecraft for a living with that look on his face. 

Tommy flinched when Wilbur started laughing at him. “What, what?” he cried, face going red with embarrassment. “I haven’t even said anything yet!”

All of his anxieties and nerves were expelled through his almost hysterical laughter. Shaking his head at Tommy’s outburst, Wilbur wordlessly reached out and pulled Tommy into his embrace. Wrapping his arms around him, Wilbur tucked the lanky teen into his chest and rested his chin on his head of fluffy blond hair. It was surprisingly calming, holding Tommy like that. It was like he was finally being reassured after months of video calls that TommyInnit actually existed outside of his screen. 

But, no matter how calming it was to Wilbur, it seemed to have the opposite effect for Tommy. The teen tensed in his arms, going stock still and not returning the hug. Wilbur could hear his ragged breathing and racing heart. 

A moment later and Tommy was pulling away, untangling himself quickly and taking a step back from Wilbur. Wilbur reluctantly let him go, trying to keep his face composed even if he was feeling a mixture of both confusion and hurt. 

Tommy cleared his throat awkwardly. He took a moment to recollect himself, Wilbur standing aside and letting him. After all, Tommy was bound to be overwhelmed. The kid had just met Tubbo yesterday and was now meeting Wilbur and was going to be meeting Phil, Niki, Fundy, and more in just a few hours. Who was Wilbur to get upset if Tommy didn’t want to hug him?

“So, you were lying,” Wilbur finally broke the tension. “You’re not fucking 6’3. You’re like 5’11.”

Tommy gaped at him, snapping out of his thoughts. “What the fuck? I am 6’3, dickhead! You’re just a fucking giant!”

Wilbur scoffed and reached out and ruffled Tommy’s hair. Tommy scrunched up his face and slapped his hand away. “No, I’m the height that I said I was-6’5. You’re just short.”

Tommy gasped dramatically, glaring up at Wilbur with hate. “I’m not short! Take that back or I’ll call my dad and have him come back and get me right now.” 

“No, no, no, no,” Wilbur chuckled. “The deal was that you’re mine for the day. You wanted this and now you’re stuck with it.”

Tommy whined. “I regret my decision. You’re a fucking weirdo in real life.”

“No, I’m not. You’re just embarrassed that you’re short and now you can’t hide it.”

“I’m telling my dad you’re a narc and he has to come get me.”

“Don’t you fucking dare.”

“I will, Wilbur. Don’t test me.”

Wilbur was cackling by the time they even left the pier to go meet up with the others. He was no longer worried about how his and Tommy’s dynamic would transfer into real life. 

**3\. Phil**

Phil heard Tommy and Wilbur before he saw them. 

Phil paused in lifting his coffee to his lips, stopping to focus his full attention on the sounds echoing around the cafe. His wife, Kristen, also went still beside him. 

“Uh oh,” Phil mused with a chuckle. He brought the coffee to his lips and took a quick sip. The burning liquid was pleasant. “The children have arrived.”

Kristen frowned. “I thought there was only one child.”

Phil tipped his head in acknowledgment, glancing at his wife. “Well, yes, but when they’re together, Wilbur pretty much acts like a child.”

“Oh,” Kristen said, looking only mildly concerned to hear that. “Should I be scared?”

“Terrified.”

Just then, the door to the cafe blew open and a flurry of lanky limbs, loud voices, and obnoxious laughs entered the shop. Everyone, including Phil and Kristen, turned to see who was causing the commotion. 

While Tommy  _ (yeah, Tommy)  _ had the decency to at least look a bit sheepish for disrupting the calm atmosphere, Wilbur immediately beelined towards Phil’s table and started screaming. “Philza Minecraft!”

Phil couldn’t help but laugh. Every time he met up with Wil he seemed to get more chaotic. Nonetheless, Phil rose from his seat, happy that people were finally starting to look away, and made his way over to the pair. 

Wilbur met him halfway, embracing the older man in a hug. Warmth spread along Phil’s chest as Wilbur tucked himself into his chest, allowing Phil to rest his chin on his shoulder. 

Wilbur hummed in contentment. “Hm, I missed your hugs, Dadza.”

Phil laughed, shaking the both of them with his guffaws. A moment later, they separated, Wilbur taking a step back and smiling brightly at Phil. 

“But seriously man, it’s so nice to see you again. And here’s Tommy,” Wilbur continued and shuffled aside to make more room for Tommy. “He’s not actually 6’3 if you hadn’t noticed.” 

That single statement was enough to shatter Tommy’s temporary aura of calm. “SHUT THE FUCK UP, WILBUR!”

Both men dissolved into a fit of laughter, doubled over and clutching onto each other while Tommy stood and fumed. Once the pair had calmed down enough for Tommy to be heard, he started ranting. 

“Wilbur, why the fuck would you say that? You did not need to say that. Phil wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference! He’s like 5’2-everyone looks over six foot to him. You did that just to embarrass me and frankly, I did not appreciate it-”

Phil cut him off by obnoxiously shushing him. “Quiet, child,” he soothed and beckoned to Tommy with open arms, asking for a hug. 

Tommy snapped his jaw shut, staring at Phil wearily, like a child being forced to apologize for something, before shuffling forward and allowing Phil to embrace him. Immediately, Phil could tell that something was... _ off.  _ Tommy didn’t melt into the touch like he had expected him to, instead, he stood tersely, not making any move to return the hug. Phil glanced down at him in concern before looking to Wilbur. 

Wilbur met his eyes over the top of Tommy’s head. Wilbur knew the silent question that Phil was proposing-it was the same question he had asked himself when he had hugged Tommy for the first time less than an hour ago:  _ is Tommy okay? _

Wilbur had hoped that that question would have gone unanswered. He’d hoped that when Phil greeted Tommy and hugged him, that Tommy would accept it with no problem, but it was clear from the look on Phil’s face that that was not the case. 

Surprisingly, Phil was the one to pull away. He took a step back, holding Tommy at arm’s length. Tommy cocked his head to the side in confusion. 

“You good, there, mate?” Phil got right to the point. “If you didn’t want me to hug you, you could’ve just said so.”

Tommy blinked dumbly at him for a moment before what he was hearing registered in his brain. 

“No, no, no,” Tommy stammered awkwardly. He took a step back from Phil, letting the older man’s hands fall away from his shoulders, and buried his burning face in his hands. “No, I did, I did, I just-I’m not-

Now it was Wilbur’s turn to shush him. “Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay, Toms. Let’s go sit down, yeah?”

Tommy let the two older men lead him through the cafe to the booth in the back where Kristen was waiting. Phil resumed his seat next to his wife while Wilbur and Tommy took the seats across from them. 

Tommy went back to defending himself as soon as he’d sat down. “I’m serious, I wanted to. I just-I’m not...used to it, I guess? Like, I hug my parents all the time, it’s not like I’m never touched, it’s just that I don’t usually hug people that aren’t my parents? I know that probably doesn’t make sense but-”

“Woah, woah, woah,” Phil gently cut off Tommy’s spiel. “Slow down, mate. We weren’t accusing you of anything. We just want to make sure we don’t cross any boundaries.”

“Yeah,” Wilbur reiterated when Tommy’s eyes widened in panic. “It’s perfectly okay if you don’t want us touching you, we just need to know so we don’t make you uncomfortable.”

Tommy seemed to become even more stricken with that-the complete opposite effect that Phil and Wilbur were going for. 

“No, you guys weren’t making me uncomfortable! I-I want to hug you! It’s normal to hug your friends. I just-I don’t-I don’t know why it feels so... _ weird?  _ It shouldn’t feel like that, right?”

Phil fought the urge to reach out and grasp Tommy’s hand in reassurance. “It’s okay if it feels weird. Like you said, you’re not used to hugging your friends.”

Wilbur nodded. “And if you want to, we will always be here. We won’t pressure you into anything. All you have to do is ask and we’ll do what you say.”

Tommy looked down at his hands, intertwining and popping his fingers. His face was hot with embarrassment. When he’d woken up that morning and gotten ready for this meetup, he’d never imagined having this conversation. He’s been aware of his aversion to hugs for a while, but it had never been something that necessarily  _ bothered _ him. Sure, he always dreaded the holidays and special occasions where he knew he was going to be forced to hug his extended family, but he’d never mourned his detest for physical touch. Well, not until he met Tubbo and the Sleepy Bois. 

“Yeah,” Tommy mumbled. “Yeah, maybe.”

Wilbur hummed, seemingly happy with that answer. He sat back in the booth, pulling the menu towards him. He flipped it open and started scanning the options. Phil did the same, bringing a steaming mug to his lips and taking a nonchalant sip. Tommy recognized that they were trying to move on and appreciated it. 

“Phil, just so you know, I actually am 6’3. Wilbur was just saying that because he’s in-se-cure.”

“Shut the fuck up and order yourself a hot chocolate like the child you are.”

“No, you are incorrect. Manly men drink hot chocolate and that is why I would like one, please.”

**4\. Techno**

It had been over a year since the original Brighton meet up and they had finally planned a sbi meet up. Techno had flown into Brighton that night and was planning to stay with Phil for the next two weeks. 

“Oh my god,” Techno hissed when he stepped out of the airport into the mid-afternoon sun. Phil laughed beside him, giving him a friendly pay on the back. 

“Not used to the time difference, eh?”

Techno huffed. “It’s definitely weird considering I got on the plane at like 9 pm in California and got off it at 3 pm in England.”

Phil laughed again. Techno noticed how much warmer it sounded in person. “Well, you’ll have plenty of time to catch up on your jet lag after saying hi to Wilbur and Tommy.”

Techno hummed, lugging his suitcase behind him as he followed Phil out to his car in the parking garage. 

——

A good forty-five-minute drive later and Techno was stumbling up the stairs to Phil’s front door. He’d been very aware of the time difference, being friends with people who lived in England and all, but he hadn’t realized just how badly the jet lag would affect him. For someone with a sleep schedule as fucked up as his, he’d genuinely thought he’d be fine. 

Phil turned the knob and pushed it open all in one smooth motion. “Wil! Tommy! I’m back!”

There was a crashing sound, followed by a high pitched screech before Wilbur came barreling around the corner into the entryway. His cheeks were pink and he was breathing hard as if he’d just been exercising. 

“Oh my fucking god, Technoblade,” Wilbur says, grinning like a mad man. “My favorite American.”

Another loud scream from the back of the house. 

Wilbur waves off the concerned expressions gracing both Techno and Phil’s faces. “Just ignore that. Techno, can I have a hug?”

Techno blinked in surprise-not at the inclination (he knew Wilbur would have wanted a hug at some point, Tommy too), but at the question itself. Phil had done the same thing at the airport-asking for a hug instead of just diving right in. Of course, Techno appreciated it, but he’d never experienced it. Must be a British thing. 

“Yeah,” Techno said simply. He dropped all the bags he was carrying and half-heartedly lifted his arms up. Wilbur didn’t have to be told twice before he seized the younger man, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug and that made Techno let out a small  _ oof.  _

Techno knew this was supposed to be a heartfelt moment. After years of only knowing Wilbur Soot through a screen across the globe, they were finally meeting in person for the first time. It wasn’t that he wasn’t happy, no, his heart was so full with love and contentment that he felt nauseous. It was just...it was just a little too much too quickly. 

“Okay, okay,” Techno muttered, trying to untangle himself gently from Wilbur’s grasp after a moment. But as soon as the older brunette realized what he was doing, he sprung away from him. 

“Sorry, sorry,” Wilbur said, abashed. “Tommy tells me that I tend to get carried away.”

Techno made a face of confusion but didn’t question it. “Speaking of the  _ child,  _ where is he? I want to say hi before I pass out.”

The conversation halted when the sound of stomping feet echoed through the foyer. The three of them turned to see a rumpled TommyInnit stumble towards him. He hopped on one foot, trying to pry a tangled blanket off of his legs. 

“Wil wrapped me in blankets and shoved me under the bed!” Tommy cried. He finally ripped away the blanket and threw it at the accused brunette who was too busy being doubled over with laughter to notice. The blanket hit him in the face, knocking him off-kilter. 

Phil laughed along with them. “He probably did that so you didn’t scare away Techno, you gremlin.”

“I’m not a fucking gremlin!”

Techno cocked an eyebrow. “Didn’t you have to crawl out from under the bed to get here?”

Tommy turned to him sharply, blue eyes alight with pure joy. A huge smile broke out over his face. “If it weren’t my first time meeting you, I’d fight you for saying that.”

Techno couldn’t hide the smile in his voice when he replied with a sarcastic, “Alright, I’ve had enough of England. I want to go home now.”

“Good going, Tommy!” Wilbur feigned annoyance. “You’ve successfully scared him away. This is why I trapped you under the bed in the first place.”

“No, no, no, you tried to kill me! I couldn’t fucking breathe under there, Wilbur! I know child abuse when I see it.”

Phil gasped dramatically. “Do not say that while you’re under my care. I’d like to stay out of jail, please.”

“Phil, he tried to suffocate me! He wrapped me in three blankets,  _ three-!” _

Techno sighed. He’d really signed up for two whole weeks of bickering, hadn’t he? 

“I’m going to go to bed without a hug if you don’t give me one now, Tommy,” Techno interrupted the pair’s incessant arguing, low, monotone voice a stark contrast to all the yelling. 

Tommy cut off his rant about Child Protective Services when Techno said that. There was a moment where Tommy looked like he didn’t know what to do, eyes wide and mouth agape, before Wilbur spoke up. 

“It’s okay, Tommy. I’m sure Techno will understand if you don’t want a hug right now.”

Tommy’s eyes flickered over to Wilbur and he took a deep breath, trying to relax. Techno watched him carefully, making no sudden movements toward the teen. It was obvious that something was going on, something he wasn’t aware of, but he didn’t push it. Maybe after his nap when he was thinking more clearly he would ask Phil to fill him in. 

Tommy wrung his hands together nervously, his aura of aggressive energy gone and replaced with a more anxious one. “Maybe just a quick one?” He glanced up Techno shyly. 

Techno inclined his head. “I can do quick. C’mere.”

Tommy bit his lip and shuffled forward. Techno opened his arms to the blonde and gently wrapped his arms around him when he got close enough. He felt Tommy sigh against him, resting his forehead on his chest. 

True to his word, Techno kept it quick, pulling away after only a few seconds. Tommy seemed to appreciate Techno being the one to end it. He took a step back and beamed at the older man. 

Techno smiled back at him, a genuine grin that made his cheeks ache. Out of the Sleepy Bois’ hugs he’d received that afternoon, Tommy’s had been the best. Maybe it was because Tommy reminded him so much of his younger siblings, but hugging Tommy was like hugging his sister. When Tommy was in his arms, a protective instinct took over him and he found that he would do anything the kid asked for, including keeping the hug short. 

Techno caught himself zoning out. He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Good night, nerds,” he announced before picking his luggage back up and disappearing around the corner in search of the nearest bedroom. 

**Author's Note:**

> Leave some love if you enjoyed!
> 
> Tumblr: bellfort3


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